Three Keys To A WFT Victory Vs. Eagles

Between the usual keys (turnovers, penalties, special teams disasters) and our three keys, if the Washington Football Team executes consistently in NFL Week 17 - they should win an NFC East title.

ASHBURN, Va. -- The Washington Football Team has one last chance to win the NFC East crown.

And if they come up empty against an injury-riddled and eliminated Philadelphia Eagles team on Sunday Night Football in South Philly, they'll have nobody to blame but themselves. 

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Here are three huge keys to winning a division title at Lincoln Financial Field.

1. Avoid a pathetic first half and a mountain to climb: We all know how bad Washington has been in the first half of games this year, outside of a couple against Dallas and an occasional bright spot against Cincinnati and in Cleveland. 

Through 15 games, Washington is being outscored 224-118. A difference of 106 points. They are particularly bad in the second quarter, 138-78 a difference of 60 points. 

Washington remains the only team in the NFL not to score on any opening drive in their 15 games and would be the first team in the NFL since at least the turn of the century not to do so, if they don't get points on their first possession Sunday night. 

Per Michael Phillips of the Richmond Times-Dispatch, "since 2000, when searchable records exist via Pro Football Reference, no team has failed to score on its opening drive in all 16 regular-season games.

"Four times, a team has scored just a field goal on its opening drives all season, most recently the 2017 Los Angeles Chargers."

On average over their 15 games, Washington is trailing at the half by 7.06 points, a full touchdown and extra point. 

It doesn't seem awful but often it has been worse and more importantly, it completely takes Washington out of offensive rhythm. 

2. If you abandon the run, the season will be over: There's no team in the NFL that I've seen that disposes of the run quicker than the Washington Football Team. They treat the running game, often, like it's a terminal disease. 

By game, Washington only averages 24.9 rushing attempts on the season. That's 25th in the NFL and tied with Philadelphia. It's often a sign of a team that is usually trailing. Good teams like Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay fall into this trap and they have this year - exposing a short passing game (Steelers) and a one-dimensional attack (Tampa) that often allows defenses to pin their ears back and dial in on getting after the quarterback. 

There's a difference of course. Tampa has Tom Brady and Pittsburgh has Ben Roethlisberger. Washington has played four quarterbacks this year and has Alex Smith hobbling to the finish line.

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Washington is averaging 4.0 yards per attempt which is not good enough but it's not awful and yet, every game that they are trailing by ten points or more - the rushing attempts go poof out the door. 

Last week against Carolina, they had one rushing attempt, a six-yard loss in the third quarter. Officially, they had four rushes in the fourth quarter but three were quarterback scrambles by Taylor Heinicke. 

Against Seattle, they had five rushing attempts in the third quarter with one quarterback scramble included and seven in the fourth with two QB scrambles (called pass plays). 

By count, that's 11 called rushing plays in the last two games after halftime combined. That's a recipe for disaster. 

Here's the major problem: The quarterback and the passing game is NOT good enough to be one-dimensional under any circumstances. 

3. Controlling the pocket and avoiding disaster: Washington has struggled against mobile quarterbacks all year. Not a surprise. Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson, Daniel Jones and  Russell Wilson have all had success and made big plays against the WFT with their legs. 

Now they take on Jalen Hurts. Hurts has experience but figures to be running for his life with a fourth-string left tackle who's been on the practice squad (Prince Tega Wanogho - expected to start) and Philadelphia missing Pro Bowlers Lane Johnson and Brandon Brooks on the right side of the line. 

Hurts has lost two fumbles, thrown three interceptions and only has completed 54.7% of his passing attempts. He does have 55 rushes/scrambles for 320 yards and a score but only a long of 24. 

If Washington controls the rush lanes, doesn't miss tackles or slips in pursuit (a problem of late), then hopefully they can force into mistakes or holding onto the ball for an extra half a second or more.